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Documentary Storytelling Techniques - Coggle Diagram
Documentary Storytelling Techniques
Narration
Traditional style of storytelling
Using a narrator who's off-camera and audiences would never see the narrator
Generically objective
Often used in new type documentaries.
Host
This is a style of stroytelling
Audiencese can learn the story through a guide or a host
Audiencces can see this person on camera or they could take you througn the story in their own workds
The host could be filmmaker, could be a celebrity or a professional host, or just someone who has some connection with the story
Great technique for travel documentary
No Narration
There's no narration
The film is pieced together with only
clips of interviews,
raw footage
on-screen text
graphics
Recreations/Drama
Often used in historical documentaries
Often used when important enents have already taken place and there's no existing footage.
Often used when there are pieces of the story missing that need to be dramatised.
Follow One Character
a style of storytelling where filmmkaer choose one person to follow for the story.
Let audiences follow a character to explore a big and complicated story.
Cartoon Animation
A lot of documentaries in recent years have been using this technique
The cartoon animation is only used very rare throughout the documentary, only for capture a particular event or mood.
Stop Motion
simply be one element in documentary film
Talking Head
A technique where the filmmaker interview a lot of people and edit their quoted together on right after the other
Chronological Order (or not)
Filmmaker can choose to tell a stroy in 'real time' as it happened
Or filmmakers can choose to slightly to make a change, by putting the 'end' od the story first and then go backc in time to explain what heappened
This is a good technique to keep audience guessing and keep their curiosity
Personal Point of View
The voice narrates and tells the story from personla perspective, like an opinion piece.
This style is very effective when dealing with sensitive issue or personal story.
Observational
The technique which the filmmaker just let the camera roll and let the action speak for itself
No narration
No "talking heads"
No interviews telling the story
Editing involved to set the tone and pacing
Allow the action and people in the situation reveal the stoy in their own timing
Photo Slideshow
Photos is a good storytelling technique
Can be put to music
Can be put to narration
Can be put to quotes
Sophisticated and compelling
Drawings/Animation
Another creative way to tell story.
Chapters
Divide the documentary into “chapters” or segments, each with its own title.
It keeps it simple for filmmakers and simple for the audience.
Participatory
This style or technique might be used in an educational or children's documentary
Might ask the audience to do certain tasks
This style is basically a show and tell.